PARENTS USE OF NONLITERAL LANGUAGE WITH PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN

Seventeen parent-child dyads were videotaped in 30-min free play sessi ons. The videotapes were transcribed and coded for nonliteral language addressed to the children. Specifically, parents' use of indirect req uests and other types of figurative language (e.g., metaphor and idiom ) was analyzed. Of the nonliteral forms used, indirect requests occurr ed most frequently; however, parents did use a number of other nonlite ral forms with their preschool children as well. Of particular interes t is how the different forms were used by the parents. When analyzed o n the basis of linguistic form, a number of relatively independent und erlying dimensions emerged. These dimensions reflect the adult use of these forms, such as making forceful statements. However, when the com municative functions of these forms were analyzed, it is evident that parents were using the range of nonliteral forms primarily to achieve the single goal of maintaining their children's participation in the i nteraction; These results suggest that parents use nonliteral forms di fferently when addressing preschoolers than when addressing other adul ts.